All It Takes Is That One Step
by WitchyLove14
Summary: Emma confronts Regina at the docks, wanting to know her entire story. Not only does she get what she originally came for, but something else she hadn't been planning on. One shot. Fluff.


**Just a quick oneshot based off a post of mine on Tumblr. **

**Hope you all like it and enjoy. :)**

**Special thanks to SassySaviorSwag who is always willing to read my stories before I post!**

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Emma walked down Mifflin Street, heading straight for the mansion at the end of the lane to have a much needed and overdue chat with the former Mayor. Emma had repeatedly tried to speak to Mary Margaret about what had happened with Cora, attempting to get her mother to explain her actions.

She had little success. The woman stayed hauled up in her room, in even more despair than she had been after Cora's death. Emma had noticed the change and knew that something else must have transpired, but the woman wouldn't talk.

It was for that reason why Emma was heading to the mansion, Henry's book in hand, to speak with Regina and see if she had any involvement in Mary Margaret's even more serious despair.

She gave a sigh as she walked, silently brooding over everything that had transpired in the past few months. She had to admit, she felt guilty about the situation with Regina and herself, mainly surrounding Henry's custody. But aside from all of that, Emma couldn't help but continue to notice the pain in the brunette's eyes whenever she said something particularly hurtful. The only time she ever witnessed the blatant display of anguish was whenever Henry said something that hurt the woman's feelings… or when she did something to hurt the woman.

Emma quickly found herself standing on the porch of the mansion and raised her hand to give a firm knock on the door. She waited a few minutes but there was no response. She knocked again, a little firmer and longer.

"Regina open up." Emma called out as she waited. After five minutes of waiting she concluded that the woman was not home.

Deciding to not wait until the former mayor showed up, Emma gave a sigh and turned, heading down the street and veering towards the docks.

She needed to think, preferably someplace quiet where she wouldn't have to worry about anyone interrupting her thoughts. She figured she could look through the book some more before speaking to Regina, maybe the book provided some answers that she seemed she couldn't find anywhere else about the brunette's past; short of asking the brunette herself.

Emma glanced up and stopped in her tracks, her eyes landing on the figure of Regina, sitting on a bench and staring out at the waves that were gently lapping up against the dock. She kept her eyes trained on the woman as she walked towards the bench, immediately noticing the quick stiffness that took over the brunette's body when she heard someone approach.

"Hey." Emma said softly, trying not to completely startle the woman as she came around the side of the other bench and took a seat.

Regina's brown eyes met hers briefly, a flicker of hurt and sadness passing through the orbs before the usual cold hardness took over once more.

"Miss Swan." Regina addressed curtly, her eyes glancing down to the large leather bound book in the woman's hands, "Catching up on some reading?"

Emma gave a small smile as she looked to the book and then back to the brunette before answering.

"Yeah, I figured this might have some of the answers that I am looking for."

Regina arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and her mouth tightened into a thin line.

"Looking of ways to defeat the Evil Queen, Savior?" Regina asked, her voice cracking in the slightest way before she cleared her throat, masking the pain she felt at asking the question.

"No Regina." Emma replied softly. "I actually stopped by the mansion to speak with you, but you obviously weren't there."

"So you sought me out? How thoughtful." Regina replied with a slight sneer, eliciting an exasperated sigh from the blonde.

"No. When I realized you weren't there I decided to come here to sit and think. The water is calming and helps me process my thoughts better. You just happened to be here."

"How convenient for you then." Regina replied smoothly, glancing at the woman out of the corner of her eye as the blonde pulled her legs up and sat Indian style on the bench.

"What was it that you wanted to speak to me about Miss Swan?" Regina asked softly, making Emma glance up at the brunette.

The woman looked tired, completely and totally spent, as if she hadn't had a proper nights sleep in weeks.

"I wanted to talk about you actually." Emma replied, her eyes drifting over the brunette's face.

"Me? And what exactly is it about me that you want to talk about Miss Swan?" Regina asked, her voice hard and cold. Emma could actually see the walls rising higher and higher around the woman.

"I want to know your story Regina. This book doesn't have all the details."

"And why on earth would you wish to know that?" Regina replied defensively.

"Because I want to understand."

"Perhaps I don't want you to dear."

Emma let out a sigh.

"Fine. We don't have to talk about that, yet. I have something else I want to ask you about anyways."

"How lovely." Regina replied smoothly before she turned herself on the bench, making it easier to see Emma.

"Mary Margaret is… well she's even worse now than she was a few days ago." Emma started and was immediately met with a scoff from the brunette.

"Why would I care about how Snow is doing?"

"God Regina can you just let me talk?" Emma huffed out in irritation.

Regina scowled before nodding in agreement, waiting for the blonde to continue.

"I know it has to do with…with Cora's death." Emma felt a pang of guilt at her words as she watched the wince cross Regina's face, "She was in a bad place after that but she was still functioning for the most part… And then a few days ago she just became incredibly withdrawn from everyone, I know something happened and well-." Emma trailed off and was met by a cold laugh.

"And you believe that I have something to do with that?" Regina asked in a cold voice.

"I don't know. But I doubt it was any of us in the apartment since she won't speak to anyone."

Regina eyed the blonde for a moment before realization dawned on her.

"She didn't tell you did she?"

"Tell me what?" Emma asked, her confusion evident on her face.

"Your mother came to see me a few days ago, begging me to kill her." Regina replied smoothly, watching Emma's face intently.

"What? Why?" The blonde asked in a rush, completely baffled.

"She felt so guilty for my mother's death that she wanted me to rip her heart out and crush it. She offered it up to me willing."

"And you refused." Emma stated.

"Not at first really." Regina replied with a smirk, "I told her Henry would never forgive me if I would… however I never have been good at learning from my mistakes. I took your mother's heart."

Emma's eyes widened and she was about to open her mouth to verbally attack the brunette, but Regina held a hand up.

"I took it, and when I looked at her heart, she had a black spot in the center of it." Regina replied.

"A black spot? What does that mean?"

"It means, that when you darken yourself, taint yourself if you will; a black spot appears on your heart. It happens whenever you commit an unspeakable act, such as murder. From there it just continues to grow." Regina finished sadly.

"So you have her heart?" Emma asked, processing the information.

"Oh no dear. I gave that back to her. What is the sense in destroying your mother when she is doing it all on her own? Why should I allow her the easy way out? Your mother begged and begged, but I put it back in. She very much has her heart."

Emma stared at the brunette and a frown graced her features.

"Thanks I guess."

"Whatever for?"

"For not killing her."

Regina stayed silent, her mouth opening as if she was going to say something, but she quickly shut it.

"Can we talk about you now?" Emma asked tentatively, watching as Regina's eyes shot up to her own. They locked and Emma felt the familiar spark between them ignite, and she finally willed herself to look away from the brown orbs that pulled her in so easily.

"What do you want to know?" Regina asked softly, taking Emma by surprise.

She had expected the brunette to scoff or retaliate in someway, even stand up and leave, but she hadn't expected the woman to agree and was taken aback by it.

"Everything." Emma stated simply.

"Everything." Regina repeated, making sure she heard the blonde correctly.

"Yeah. I want to know everything Regina, everything that this book doesn't tell about your life."

Regina swallowed thickly and gave a slow nod, looking away briefly before meeting Emma's gaze once more.

"On one condition."

"Sure. Only seems fair." The blonde replied easily.

"You tell me everything about you and your life before and after Henry." Regina said softly.

Emma stared at the woman for a moment before she nodded and urged Regina to start her story.

Regina told her story with an even voice, up until she told Emma about Daniel's passing; the first time, before continuing on about her unwanted marriage to Leopold and having to raise Snow, the very child that she hated so easily. She skimmed over certain aspects of her marriage with Leopold that Emma easily picked up on, sure signs that Leopold had abused Regina in one way and neglected her in every other. She told her about her time learning magic from Rumplestiltskin and how she became the Evil Queen, eventually killing her father in order to enact the curse and send them all here. She told her about the first years here in Storybrooke before she had adopted Henry, her want for a child and some semblance of a happy ending that she had been denied in the Enchanted Forest. Regina told her about Henry's early years and how he was inseparable from her, never wanting to leave her side until her got that book.

When she spoke of Daniel and Henry, Emma watched her face intently, noticing the cracks appearing in her walls as she was beginning to become overcome with emotion before steeling herself and continuing on once more. She filled Emma in on everything that happened while Emma and Snow were in the Enchanted Forest, everything that David had conveniently forgotten to tell Emma, including Regina having to let Daniel go once and for all.

Emma felt a part of her heart breaking as she watched the brunette try and get through her story without completely falling apart. Finally Regina told her about what she and Cora had been doing in Storybrooke, Cora doing everything for power while Regina just wanted to get Henry back.

Regina concluded her story and let out a shaky breath as she realized that Emma was the first person she ever confided in about her past. She was about to speak but when she looked up and met Emma's gaze, the blonde immediately started into her own past history.

She told Regina about her life in the foster system, how she had a home till she was three and then was sent away, hopping from home to home before repeatedly being abandoned and left alone once more, just to be shipped off to another family. She told Regina about how she met Neal when she stole his car, which was stolen.

Emma couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the appalled look on Regina's face when she told her it was the yellow bug that she still drove around. The brunette didn't interrupt though, she allowed Emma continue on with her story.

She told her how Neal abandoned her and allowed her to take the rap for a crime she hadn't committed, leaving her broken hearted and pregnant in jail with Henry. She told her how she had no choice but to give Henry up since she was in prison when he was born, having no family to take care of him until she got out. She really believed that it was for the best anyways, what could she even offer him? Emma told her about how after she got out of jail she hopped around some more before becoming a Bail bondsman.

"And well… you know the rest." Emma concluded, her eyes trained on the woman across from her.

They shared a moment of silence before Regina spoke.

"And this Neal is now here in Storybrooke and knows that Gold is his father and that Henry is his son."

"Yeah. I guess the family tree just got more complicated huh?"

Regina scoffed, "Please. You have no idea what a complicated family tree consists of."

"Neal isn't going to take Henry away." Emma stated, making the brunette look at her with cold eyes. Wrong thing to say.

"Oh he isn't? Just like you told me repeatedly that you were not here to take Henry away from me, and yet here we are." Regina replied coldly, "You also said that you would be leaving Storybrooke and yet here you sit a year later, reunited with your family, son, and your boyfriend."

"Neal isn't-." Emma tried but Regina cut her off.

"You have your happy ending Miss Swan, and where does that leave me? No son, no family thanks once again to your mother, and no love." Regina spit out, tears welling up in her brown eyes.

She let out a cold laugh.

"The most ironic thing about all of this whole thing is that this town, this curse, all of this, was done for love. In the hopes that I could have that once again and have someone actually love me."

"Regina." Emma tried, watching as the brunette next to her bit her lip to keep her tears at bay.

"Have a good day Miss Swan." Regina replied softly before standing and making a move to leave.

Emma reached out and grabbed the woman's arm, holding onto it as she stood and wrapped her arms around the brunette, pulling her into a hug and taking Regina by surprise.

"What are you-?"

"Shh. Just let me." Emma replied softly as she held the brunette to her.

Regina remained stiff for a moment before relaxing into the embrace, a sigh escaping her lips as she sunk into the blonde's arms.

"You are loved you know." Emma stated in a small voice. She felt a cold chuckle from the woman in her arms.

"You know, Daniel told me to love again, but who on earth could love the Evil Queen? My own son wants nothing to do with me."

Emma pulled back and looked Regina in the eyes, her green orbs meeting tear shining brown.

"Henry does love you Regina. He's just a kid and he isn't sure how to handle this entire situation." Emma started, watching as Regina ducked her head briefly before glancing at Emma, "And well- I think that someone could love you. As long as you show them who you really are deep down, like you did with me by telling me your story. We're actually a lot alike Regina, we've both been hurt many times and we each have similar issues when it comes to love."

Regina gave a small nod in agreement and gave Emma a small smile, making the blonde's heart thump rapidly.

"I know that letting down your walls isn't easy and I know that it is scary. But I am really glad that you told me all of this and well- I mean- I don't think I would mind trying." Emma breathed out, her arms still wrapped around Regina's waist.

The brunette gave her a confused look.

"Try what?"

Emma took a breath before staring at the brown orbs in front of her.

"Loving you."

Regina's eyes widened at Emma's confession and she felt her heart rate pick up at what Emma was offering.

"You did all of this for love Regina. I know that many people, myself included before this, think that you don't have it in you to love. But the reality is that you love so much that you cursed an entire land to a new world in the hopes of being able to find a fresh start and someone to love you." Emma supplied, giving Regina's hips a gentle squeeze.

"You mean- you want-?" Regina managed to choke out.

Emma gave a small smile, "Yeah… if you do."

"I think that would be nice… to try."

Emma gave Regina a triumphant smirk and Regina swallowed thickly before she let out a genuine laugh.

"Your mother isn't going to like this." She supplied.

"You know, they don't really have much room to talk right now."

"I'm glad to see you've finally recovered your wits." Regina stated with a smirk.

"What do you mean?"

"Well dear, ever since you've been reunited with your parents… you haven't exactly been making the best decisions."

"I think you're right. I guess I kind of lost myself along the way, but I think talking to you has helped. I think that we can help each other." Emma answered hesitantly, patting herself on the back when Regina gave her a genuine smile.

"So… how do you think we should go about this?" Emma asked seriously, her eyes glancing down to her hands that still rested on Regina's hips.

Regina followed her line of sight and brought her hands up to rest them on Emma's arms, giving them a light squeeze as if making sure this all was actually happening.

"…Perhaps we could go out to dinner?" Regina suggested, her voice hesitant as she looked to Emma.

"Like a date?" Emma asked with a smile.

"Well, you said that you wanted to try- unless I misunderstood-."

"No no, I do want to try I just-… I haven't done this in a long time." Emma cut off nervously.

"That makes two of us."

"So dinner then." Emma stated.

"Dinner." The brunette answered with a firm voice.

They shared a hesitant smile and Emma let out a light chuckle, making Regina's eyebrows crease in confusion.

"What is so funny?"

"Oh nothing. Just that the Evil Queen asked me out on a date." Emma answered with a smirk, tightening her grip on Regina's waist.

A blush crept up Regina's face and she cast her eyes downwards before quickly looking back up to Emma with a small smile.

"And you know what?" Emma asked softly.

"What?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way."


End file.
